


Sloth

by AGlassRoseNeverFades



Series: Our Sins [4]
Category: Hannibal (TV), Hannibal Lecter Series - All Media Types
Genre: A Kurt Vonnegut Reference, Because I can that's why, Camaraderie, Gen, Humor, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Meditation, Will's Dreamscape
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-12
Updated: 2014-04-12
Packaged: 2018-01-19 01:21:43
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1450036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AGlassRoseNeverFades/pseuds/AGlassRoseNeverFades
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life in a prison cell can be terribly dull.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sloth

The worst thing about being in prison, which no one ever talks about, is how utterly, dauntingly, _exhaustingly_ _boring it is._

For the first month or so of his stay, Will was a restless, agitated wreck. Constantly pacing around in his cell, gesturing wildly with his hands—uncaring of how very, very crazy this made him appear because, hey, look where he was already—as he carried on pretend arguments with himself, with Jack and Alana, with anyone he’d thought he might be able to convince of his innocence if he could just make his case ardently enough.

Eventually he’d calmed down, found his ‘zen’ so to speak in the cool, still waters of his imagination, and accepted the fact that no one would ever believe him as long as he lacked the evidence to back up his claim. His days after that seemed to drag on worse than ever as he fell into a routine, but at least he had a safe haven to retreat to, where he could pretend to be wading quietly in the tranquil river out near his home instead of lying back on a stiff, narrow cot in a drafty cell in Baltimore, Maryland.

There just wasn’t much to _do_ in the interim—meal time, shower time, mail call, sit in the cage and ignore Chilton while he rambles on for an hour, meal time again, lie awake daydreaming (or else take a nap and risk _actually_ dreaming), last meal of the day, more reflection time, then lights out for the evening. Wake up the next day, rinse and repeat.

He might exercise a bit a couple of mornings out of the week, just to relieve some stress and keep himself from going completely soft around the middle, and occasionally they brought him books or month-old magazines to flip through, but by and large nothing ever varied. If he hadn’t actually been crazy when he first arrived, Will thought for the longest time that he might well be on his way there anyway.

He doesn’t expect life to become more tolerable around here, but after awhile, surprisingly, it does—if by ‘tolerable,’ he means expanding his social circle beyond just himself and his imagination to now include two psychotic murderers as well, one of whom he tried to kill once and the other who once tried to kill _for him._

It should probably concern him more than it does how much he honestly enjoys trading barbs with Gideon from the other side of their shared wall, or laughing when Matthew tells him about the time he saw a fellow orderly get bitten on the nose for yelling at a patient who would not stop singing ‘God Bless America’ for two hours straight. (“He was _still humming it_ even with Dawkins’ nose between his teeth. I could hear it over the screams.”)

He’s past caring what it says about him that he prefers talking to either of them over Chilton.

It’s also interesting to observe the minute changes that come over some of the other orderlies and guards whenever they’re around Matthew. A heightened sense of wariness for most, Brown’s presence to them a stark reminder that sometimes the demons _weren’t_ behind bars yet, but out in the open and lurking right under their noses. They’d spent time around this man, maybe cracked jokes and shared stories about their personal lives in the break room, never once suspecting what he truly was.

A few of them seem almost skittish, as if they’re afraid the bars may not be enough to protect them, or worried that their former co-worker’s crazy might be catching.

“Hey Lopez,” Brown purrs dangerously at one such individual. The poor man is practically shaking almost before Brown even opens his mouth. “Guess you’re glad, huh? Now you don’t have to pay me back that twenty you borrowed for lunch last month.”

The man almost forgets to take Will’s empty breakfast tray in his haste to get out of there as quickly as possible.

Matthew waits and watches him leave. He looks over at Will as the heavy metal doors at the end of the hall clang shut. Their eyes meet and suddenly neither of them can hold back anymore. Both of them crack up at the same time, their uncontrollable laughter echoing loudly enough that it wakes Gideon from his ‘lazy lie-in’ and makes him sulky and belligerent for the rest of the day.

Will sort of hates himself for it afterward, but only a little.

The next time something close to a confrontation happens, Matt isn’t the one who initiates it.

“How are you enjoying it in there, you limp-wristed, lispy motherfucker?”

Brown looks up from a borrowed novel in his lap, a battered library copy of _Slaughterhouse Five. (Who the hell decides what books they give us?_ Will wonders.) He doesn’t bother hiding the fact that he’s watching the whole thing unfold, no longer meditating in his dream river.

“I always knew you’d end up in here,” the guard continues. _(No, you didn’t,_ Will thinks.) “Fucking weirdo and a fucking faggot. You belong in that cell, for the rest of your goddamned life.”

Will’s eyes slide over to Brown, wondering how the man will react.

Matt doesn’t say anything. He just continues to stare up at the guard and slowly, slowly his lips spread wide into a bright, happy smile.

Will shudders.

The man’s eyes widen, utterly flabbergasted. He storms away without another word, leaving Will and Matthew alone together. Gideon is in an interrogation cage talking to Chilton at the moment.

Matthew’s eyes follow the guard for a moment, then flick back over to meet Will’s. His smile softens into something warmer, more companionable and affectionate. Will looks away quickly and tries not to shiver again.

Matt looks back down at his book, licks a finger and turns the page.

**Author's Note:**

> If you don't laugh at Matt's cute work anecdote, I don't know why you're in this fandom. xD


End file.
